1
|
Cisterna BA, Skruber K, Jane ML, Camesi CI, Nguyen ID, Liu TM, Warp PV, Black JB, Butler MT, Bear JE, Mor DE, Read TA, Vitriol EA. Prolonged depletion of profilin 1 or F-actin causes an adaptive response in microtubules. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202309097. [PMID: 38722279 PMCID: PMC11082369 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202309097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In addition to its well-established role in actin assembly, profilin 1 (PFN1) has been shown to bind to tubulin and alter microtubule growth. However, whether PFN1's predominant control over microtubules in cells occurs through direct regulation of tubulin or indirectly through the polymerization of actin has yet to be determined. Here, we manipulated PFN1 expression, actin filament assembly, and actomyosin contractility and showed that reducing any of these parameters for extended periods of time caused an adaptive response in the microtubule cytoskeleton, with the effect being significantly more pronounced in neuronal processes. All the observed changes to microtubules were reversible if actomyosin was restored, arguing that PFN1's regulation of microtubules occurs principally through actin. Moreover, the cytoskeletal modifications resulting from PFN1 depletion in neuronal processes affected microtubule-based transport and mimicked phenotypes that are linked to neurodegenerative disease. This demonstrates how defects in actin can cause compensatory responses in other cytoskeleton components, which in turn significantly alter cellular function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno A. Cisterna
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Kristen Skruber
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Makenzie L. Jane
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Caleb I. Camesi
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Ivan D. Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Tatiana M. Liu
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Peyton V. Warp
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Joseph B. Black
- Division of Urologic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mitchell T. Butler
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - James E. Bear
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Danielle E. Mor
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Tracy-Ann Read
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Eric A. Vitriol
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ahn S, Jain A, Kasuba KC, Seimiya M, Okamoto R, Treutlein B, Müller DJ. Engineering fibronectin-templated multi-component fibrillar extracellular matrices to modulate tissue-specific cell response. Biomaterials 2024; 308:122560. [PMID: 38603826 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2024.122560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Cells assemble fibronectin, the major extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, into fibrillar matrices, which serve as 3D architectural scaffolds to provide, together with other ECM proteins tissue-specific environments. Although recent approaches enable to bioengineer 3D fibrillar fibronectin matrices in vitro, it remains elusive how fibronectin can be co-assembled with other ECM proteins into complex 3D fibrillar matrices that recapitulate tissue-specific compositions and cellular responses. Here, we introduce the engineering of fibrillar fibronectin-templated 3D matrices that can be complemented with other ECM proteins, including vitronectin, collagen, and laminin to resemble ECM architectures observed in vivo. For the co-assembly of different ECM proteins, we employed their innate fibrillogenic mechanisms including shear forces, pH-dependent electrostatic interactions, or specific binding domains. Through recapitulating various tissue-specific ECM compositions and morphologies, the large scale multi-composite 3D fibrillar ECM matrices can guide fibroblast adhesion, 3D fibroblast tissue formation, or tissue morphogenesis of epithelial cells. In other examples, we customize multi-composite 3D fibrillar matrices to support the growth of signal propagating neuronal networks and of human brain organoids. We envision that these 3D fibrillar ECM matrices can be tailored in scale and composition to modulate tissue-specific responses across various biological length scales and systems, and thus to advance manyfold studies of cell biological systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seungkuk Ahn
- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, 4056, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Akanksha Jain
- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Krishna Chaitanya Kasuba
- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Makiko Seimiya
- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ryoko Okamoto
- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Treutlein
- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel J Müller
- Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, 4056, Basel, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Piszker W, Simunovic M. The fusion of physics and biology in early mammalian embryogenesis. Curr Top Dev Biol 2024; 160:31-64. [PMID: 38937030 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2024.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Biomechanics in embryogenesis is a dynamic field intertwining the physical forces and biological processes that shape the first days of a mammalian embryo. From the first cell fate bifurcation during blastulation to the complex symmetry breaking and tissue remodeling in gastrulation, mechanical cues appear critical in cell fate decisions and tissue patterning. Recent strides in mouse and human embryo culture, stem cell modeling of mammalian embryos, and biomaterial design have shed light on the role of cellular forces, cell polarization, and the extracellular matrix in influencing cell differentiation and morphogenesis. This chapter highlights the essential functions of biophysical mechanisms in blastocyst formation, embryo implantation, and early gastrulation where the interplay between the cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix stiffness orchestrates the intricacies of embryogenesis and placenta specification. The advancement of in vitro models like blastoids, gastruloids, and other types of embryoids, has begun to faithfully recapitulate human development stages, offering new avenues for exploring the biophysical underpinnings of early development. The integration of synthetic biology and advanced biomaterials is enhancing the precision with which we can mimic and study these processes. Looking ahead, we emphasize the potential of CRISPR-mediated genomic perturbations coupled with live imaging to uncover new mechanosensitive pathways and the application of engineered biomaterials to fine-tune the mechanical conditions conducive to embryonic development. This synthesis not only bridges the gap between experimental models and in vivo conditions to advancing fundamental developmental biology of mammalian embryogenesis, but also sets the stage for leveraging biomechanical insights to inform regenerative medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Walter Piszker
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Mijo Simunovic
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States; Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chojowski R, Schwarz US, Ziebert F. The role of the nucleus for cell mechanics: an elastic phase field approach. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:4488-4503. [PMID: 38804018 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00345d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The nucleus of eukaryotic cells typically makes up around 30% of the cell volume and has significantly different mechanics, which can make it effectively up to ten times stiffer than the surrounding cytoplasm. Therefore it is an important element for cell mechanics, but a quantitative understanding of its mechanical role during whole cell dynamics is largely missing. Here we demonstrate that elastic phase fields can be used to describe dynamical cell processes in adhesive or confining environments in which the nucleus acts as a stiff inclusion in an elastic cytoplasm. We first introduce and verify our computational method and then study several prevalent cell-mechanical measurement methods. For cells on adhesive patterns, we find that nuclear stress is shielded by the adhesive pattern. For cell compression between two parallel plates, we obtain force-compression curves that allow us to extract an effective modulus for the cell-nucleus composite. For micropipette aspiration, the effect of the nucleus on the effective modulus is found to be much weaker, highlighting the complicated interplay between extracellular geometry and cell mechanics that is captured by our approach. We also show that our phase field approach can be used to investigate the effects of Kelvin-Voigt-type viscoelasticity and cortical tension.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Chojowski
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Philosophenweg 19, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
- BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ulrich S Schwarz
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Philosophenweg 19, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
- BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Falko Ziebert
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Heidelberg University, Philosophenweg 19, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
- BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tsai FC, Guérin G, Pernier J, Bassereau P. Actin-membrane linkers: Insights from synthetic reconstituted systems. Eur J Cell Biol 2024; 103:151402. [PMID: 38461706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2024.151402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
At the cell surface, the actin cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane interact reciprocally in a variety of processes related to the remodeling of the cell surface. The actin cytoskeleton has been known to modulate membrane organization and reshape the membrane. To this end, actin-membrane linking molecules play a major role in regulating actin assembly and spatially direct the interaction between the actin cytoskeleton and the membrane. While studies in cells have provided a wealth of knowledge on the molecular composition and interactions of the actin-membrane interface, the complex molecular interactions make it challenging to elucidate the precise actions of the actin-membrane linkers at the interface. Synthetic reconstituted systems, consisting of model membranes and purified proteins, have been a powerful approach to elucidate how actin-membrane linkers direct actin assembly to drive membrane shape changes. In this review, we will focus only on several actin-membrane linkers that have been studied by using reconstitution systems. We will discuss the design principles of these reconstitution systems and how they have contributed to the understanding of the cellular functions of actin-membrane linkers. Finally, we will provide a perspective on future research directions in understanding the intricate actin-membrane interaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Ching Tsai
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Physics of Cells and Cancer, Paris 75005, France.
| | - Gwendal Guérin
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Physics of Cells and Cancer, Paris 75005, France
| | - Julien Pernier
- Tumor Cell Dynamics Unit, Inserm U1279, Gustave Roussy Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif 94800, France
| | - Patricia Bassereau
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR168, Physics of Cells and Cancer, Paris 75005, France.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Saldanha R, Ho Thanh MT, Krishnan N, Hehnly H, Patteson A. Vimentin supports cell polarization by enhancing centrosome function and microtubule acetylation. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20230641. [PMID: 38835244 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity is important for controlling cell shape, motility and cell division processes. Vimentin intermediate filaments are important for cell migration and cell polarization in mesenchymal cells and assembly of vimentin and microtubule networks is dynamically coordinated, but the precise details of how vimentin mediates cell polarity remain unclear. Here, we characterize the effects of vimentin on the structure and function of the centrosome and the stability of microtubule filaments in wild-type and vimentin-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts. We find that vimentin mediates the structure of the pericentriolar material, promotes centrosome-mediated microtubule regrowth and increases the level of stable acetylated microtubules in the cell. Loss of vimentin also impairs centrosome repositioning during cell polarization and migration processes that occur during wound closure. Our results suggest that vimentin modulates centrosome structure and function as well as microtubule network stability, which has important implications for how cells establish proper cell polarization and persistent migration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renita Saldanha
- Physics Department, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USA
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Minh Tri Ho Thanh
- Physics Department, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USA
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Nikhila Krishnan
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Heidi Hehnly
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Alison Patteson
- Physics Department, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USA
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ang I, Yousafzai MS, Yadav V, Mohler K, Rinehart J, Bouklas N, Murrell M. Elastocapillary effects determine early matrix deformation by glioblastoma cell spheroids. APL Bioeng 2024; 8:026109. [PMID: 38706957 PMCID: PMC11069407 DOI: 10.1063/5.0191765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
During cancer pathogenesis, cell-generated mechanical stresses lead to dramatic alterations in the mechanical and organizational properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM). To date, contraction of the ECM is largely attributed to local mechanical stresses generated during cell invasion, but the impact of "elastocapillary" effects from surface tension on the tumor periphery has not been examined. Here, we embed glioblastoma cell spheroids within collagen gels, as a model of tumors within the ECM. We then modulate the surface tension of the spheroids, such that the spheroid contracts or expands. Surprisingly, in both cases, at the far-field, the ECM is contracted toward the spheroids prior to cellular migration from the spheroid into the ECM. Through computational simulation, we demonstrate that contraction of the ECM arises from a balance of spheroid surface tension, cell-ECM interactions, and time-dependent, poroelastic effects of the gel. This leads to the accumulation of ECM near the periphery of the spheroid and the contraction of the ECM without regard to the expansion or contraction of the spheroid. These results highlight the role of tissue-level surface stresses and fluid flow within the ECM in the regulation of cell-ECM interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ida Ang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Conboy JP, Istúriz Petitjean I, van der Net A, Koenderink GH. How cytoskeletal crosstalk makes cells move: Bridging cell-free and cell studies. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2024; 5:021307. [PMID: 38840976 PMCID: PMC11151447 DOI: 10.1063/5.0198119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Cell migration is a fundamental process for life and is highly dependent on the dynamical and mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton. Intensive physical and biochemical crosstalk among actin, microtubules, and intermediate filaments ensures their coordination to facilitate and enable migration. In this review, we discuss the different mechanical aspects that govern cell migration and provide, for each mechanical aspect, a novel perspective by juxtaposing two complementary approaches to the biophysical study of cytoskeletal crosstalk: live-cell studies (often referred to as top-down studies) and cell-free studies (often referred to as bottom-up studies). We summarize the main findings from both experimental approaches, and we provide our perspective on bridging the two perspectives to address the open questions of how cytoskeletal crosstalk governs cell migration and makes cells move.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James P. Conboy
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Irene Istúriz Petitjean
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Anouk van der Net
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Gijsje H. Koenderink
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Morales EA, Wang S. Salivary gland developmental mechanics. Curr Top Dev Biol 2024; 160:1-30. [PMID: 38937029 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2024.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
The salivary gland undergoes branching morphogenesis to elaborate into a tree-like structure with numerous saliva-secreting acinar units, all joined by a hierarchical ductal system. The expansive epithelial surface generated by branching morphogenesis serves as the structural basis for the efficient production and delivery of saliva. Here, we elucidate the process of salivary gland morphogenesis, emphasizing the role of mechanics. Structurally, the developing salivary gland is characterized by a stratified epithelium tightly encased by the basement membrane, which is in turn surrounded by a mesenchyme consisting of a dense network of interstitial matrix and mesenchymal cells. Diverse cell types and extracellular matrices bestow this developing organ with organized, yet spatially varied mechanical properties. For instance, the surface epithelial sheet of the bud is highly fluidic due to its high cell motility and weak cell-cell adhesion, rendering it highly pliable. In contrast, the inner core of the bud is more rigid, characterized by reduced cell motility and strong cell-cell adhesion, which likely provide structural support for the tissue. The interactions between the surface epithelial sheet and the inner core give rise to budding morphogenesis. Furthermore, the basement membrane and the mesenchyme offer mechanical constraints that could play a pivotal role in determining the higher-order architecture of a fully mature salivary gland.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Angelo Morales
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, United States
| | - Shaohe Wang
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Banerjee DS, Freedman SL, Murrell MP, Banerjee S. Growth-induced collective bending and kinetic trapping of cytoskeletal filaments. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38775207 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Growth and turnover of actin filaments play a crucial role in the construction and maintenance of actin networks within cells. Actin filament growth occurs within limited space and finite subunit resources in the actin cortex. To understand how filament growth shapes the emergent architecture of actin networks, we developed a minimal agent-based model coupling filament mechanics and growth in a limiting subunit pool. We find that rapid filament growth induces kinetic trapping of highly bent actin filaments. Such collective bending patterns are long-lived, organized around nematic defects, and arise from competition between filament polymerization and bending elasticity. The stability of nematic defects and the extent of kinetic trapping are amplified by an increase in the abundance of the actin pool and by crosslinking the network. These findings suggest that kinetic trapping is a robust consequence of growth in crowded environments, providing a route to program shape memory in actin networks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deb Sankar Banerjee
- Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Michael P Murrell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Shiladitya Banerjee
- Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Boutillon A, Banavar SP, Campàs O. Conserved physical mechanisms of cell and tissue elongation. Development 2024; 151:dev202687. [PMID: 38767601 PMCID: PMC11190436 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Living organisms have the ability to self-shape into complex structures appropriate for their function. The genetic and molecular mechanisms that enable cells to do this have been extensively studied in several model and non-model organisms. In contrast, the physical mechanisms that shape cells and tissues have only recently started to emerge, in part thanks to new quantitative in vivo measurements of the physical quantities guiding morphogenesis. These data, combined with indirect inferences of physical characteristics, are starting to reveal similarities in the physical mechanisms underlying morphogenesis across different organisms. Here, we review how physics contributes to shape cells and tissues in a simple, yet ubiquitous, morphogenetic transformation: elongation. Drawing from observed similarities across species, we propose the existence of conserved physical mechanisms of morphogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Boutillon
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Samhita P. Banavar
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Otger Campàs
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Barnkob MB, Michaels YS, André V, Macklin PS, Gileadi U, Valvo S, Rei M, Kulicke C, Chen JL, Jain V, Woodcock VK, Colin-York H, Hadjinicolaou AV, Kong Y, Mayya V, Mazet JM, Mead GJ, Bull JA, Rijal P, Pugh CW, Townsend AR, Gérard A, Olsen LR, Fritzsche M, Fulga TA, Dustin ML, Jones EY, Cerundolo V. Semmaphorin 3 A causes immune suppression by inducing cytoskeletal paralysis in tumour-specific CD8 + T cells. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3173. [PMID: 38609390 PMCID: PMC11017241 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47424-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Semaphorin-3A (SEMA3A) functions as a chemorepulsive signal during development and can affect T cells by altering their filamentous actin (F-actin) cytoskeleton. The exact extent of these effects on tumour-specific T cells are not completely understood. Here we demonstrate that Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) and Plexin-A1 and Plexin-A4 are upregulated on stimulated CD8+ T cells, allowing tumour-derived SEMA3A to inhibit T cell migration and assembly of the immunological synapse. Deletion of NRP1 in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells enhance CD8+ T-cell infiltration into tumours and restricted tumour growth in animal models. Conversely, over-expression of SEMA3A inhibit CD8+ T-cell infiltration. We further show that SEMA3A affects CD8+ T cell F-actin, leading to inhibition of immune synapse formation and motility. Examining a clear cell renal cell carcinoma patient cohort, we find that SEMA3A expression is associated with reduced survival, and that T-cells appear trapped in SEMA3A rich regions. Our study establishes SEMA3A as an inhibitor of effector CD8+ T cell tumour infiltration, suggesting that blocking NRP1 could improve T cell function in tumours.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mike B Barnkob
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK.
- Centre for Cellular Immunotherapy of Haematological Cancer Odense (CITCO), Department of Clinical Immunology, Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Yale S Michaels
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
- Paul Albrechtsen Research Institute, CancerCare Manitoba, 675 Mcdermot Ave, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0V9, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3N4, Canada
| | - Violaine André
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Philip S Macklin
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Uzi Gileadi
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Salvatore Valvo
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Dr, Oxford, OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Margarida Rei
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Corinna Kulicke
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, US
| | - Ji-Li Chen
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Vitul Jain
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Victoria K Woodcock
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Huw Colin-York
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Andreas V Hadjinicolaou
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
- Early Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
| | - Youxin Kong
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Viveka Mayya
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Dr, Oxford, OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Julie M Mazet
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Dr, Oxford, OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Gracie-Jennah Mead
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Dr, Oxford, OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Joshua A Bull
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Pramila Rijal
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Christopher W Pugh
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Alain R Townsend
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Audrey Gérard
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Dr, Oxford, OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Lars R Olsen
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads, Building 345C, 2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Marco Fritzsche
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Dr, Oxford, OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Tudor A Fulga
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Michael L Dustin
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Dr, Oxford, OX3 7FY, UK
| | - E Yvonne Jones
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.
| | - Vincenzo Cerundolo
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Carvalho EM, Ding EA, Saha A, Weldy A, Zushin PJH, Stahl A, Aghi MK, Kumar S. Viscoelastic high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid hydrogels support rapid glioblastoma cell invasion with leader-follower dynamics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.04.588167. [PMID: 38617333 PMCID: PMC11014578 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.04.588167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Hyaluronic acid (HA), the primary component of brain extracellular matrix, is increasingly used to model neuropathological processes, including glioblastoma (GBM) tumor invasion. While elastic hydrogels based on crosslinked low-molecular-weight (LMW) HA are widely exploited for this purpose and have proven valuable for discovery and screening, brain tissue is both viscoelastic and rich in high-MW (HMW) HA, and it remains unclear how these differences influence invasion. To address this question, hydrogels comprised of either HMW (1.5 MDa) or LMW (60 kDa) HA are introduced, characterized, and applied in GBM invasion studies. Unlike LMW HA hydrogels, HMW HA hydrogels relax stresses quickly, to a similar extent as brain tissue, and to a greater extent than many conventional HA-based scaffolds. GBM cells implanted within HMW HA hydrogels invade much more rapidly than in their LMW HA counterparts and exhibit distinct leader-follower dynamics. Leader cells adopt dendritic morphologies, similar to invasive GBM cells observed in vivo. Transcriptomic, pharmacologic, and imaging studies suggest that leader cells exploit hyaluronidase, an enzyme strongly enriched in human GBMs, to prime a path for followers. This study offers new insight into how HA viscoelastic properties drive invasion and argues for the use of highly stress-relaxing materials to model GBM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily M Carvalho
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Erika A Ding
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Atul Saha
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Anna Weldy
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Peter-James H Zushin
- Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley 94720, USA
| | - Andreas Stahl
- Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California, Berkeley 94720, USA
| | - Manish K Aghi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Tajvidi Safa B, Huang C, Kabla A, Yang R. Active viscoelastic models for cell and tissue mechanics. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231074. [PMID: 38660600 PMCID: PMC11040246 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Living cells are out of equilibrium active materials. Cell-generated forces are transmitted across the cytoskeleton network and to the extracellular environment. These active force interactions shape cellular mechanical behaviour, trigger mechano-sensing, regulate cell adaptation to the microenvironment and can affect disease outcomes. In recent years, the mechanobiology community has witnessed the emergence of many experimental and theoretical approaches to study cells as mechanically active materials. In this review, we highlight recent advancements in incorporating active characteristics of cellular behaviour at different length scales into classic viscoelastic models by either adding an active tension-generating element or adjusting the resting length of an elastic element in the model. Summarizing the two groups of approaches, we will review the formulation and application of these models to understand cellular adaptation mechanisms in response to various types of mechanical stimuli, such as the effect of extracellular matrix properties and external loadings or deformations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bahareh Tajvidi Safa
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE68588, USA
| | - Changjin Huang
- School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore639798, Singapore
| | - Alexandre Kabla
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1PZ, UK
| | - Ruiguo Yang
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE68588, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI48824, USA
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI48824, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Yang Y, Han K, Huang S, Wang K, Wang Y, Ding S, Zhang L, Zhang M, Xu B, Ma S, Wang Y, Wu S, Wang X. Revelation of adhesive proteins affecting cellular contractility through reference-free traction force microscopy. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:3249-3261. [PMID: 38466580 DOI: 10.1039/d4tb00065j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, the critical role played by cellular contractility associated mechanotransduction in the regulation of cell functions has been revealed. In this case, numerous biomaterials have been chemically or structurally designed to manipulate cell behaviors through the regulation of cellular contractility. In particular, adhesive proteins including fibronectin, poly-L-lysine and collagen type I have been widely applied in various biomaterials to improve cell adhesion. Therefore, clarifying the effects of adhesive proteins on cellular contractility has been valuable for the development of biomaterial design. In this study, reference-free traction force microscopy with a well-organized microdot array was designed and prepared to investigate the relationship between adhesive proteins, cellular contractility, and mechanotransduction. The results showed that fibronectin and collagen type I were able to promote the assembly of focal adhesions and further enhance cellular contraction and YAP activity. In contrast, although poly-L-lysine supported cell spreading and elongation, it was inefficient at inducing cell contractility and activating YAP. Additionally, compared with cellular morphogenesis, cellular contraction was essential for YAP activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yingjun Yang
- Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, School of Physics & Information Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, P. R. China
- Shanxi-Zheda Institute of Advanced Materials and Chemical Engineering, Taiyuan, P. R. China
| | - Kuankuan Han
- Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, School of Physics & Information Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, P. R. China
| | - Siyuan Huang
- Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, School of Physics & Information Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, P. R. China
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Sichuan Vocational College of Health and Rehabilitation, Zigong, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, School of Physics & Information Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, P. R. China
| | - Yuchen Wang
- Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, School of Physics & Information Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, P. R. China
| | - Shukai Ding
- Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, School of Physics & Information Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, P. R. China
| | - Le Zhang
- Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, School of Physics & Information Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, P. R. China
| | - Miao Zhang
- Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, School of Physics & Information Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, P. R. China
| | - Bingshe Xu
- Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, School of Physics & Information Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, P. R. China
- Shanxi-Zheda Institute of Advanced Materials and Chemical Engineering, Taiyuan, P. R. China
- Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, China
| | - Shufang Ma
- Materials Institute of Atomic and Molecular Science, School of Physics & Information Science, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, P. R. China
| | - Yongtao Wang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Shengli Wu
- Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Xinlong Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Waechtler BE, Jayasankar R, Morin EP, Robinson DN. Benefits and challenges of reconstituting the actin cortex. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38520148 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
The cell's ability to change shape is a central feature in many cellular processes, including cytokinesis, motility, migration, and tissue formation. The cell constructs a network of contractile proteins underneath the cell membrane to form the cortex, and the reorganization of these components directly contributes to cellular shape changes. The desire to mimic these cell shape changes to aid in the creation of a synthetic cell has been increasing. Therefore, membrane-based reconstitution experiments have flourished, furthering our understanding of the minimal components the cell uses throughout these processes. Although biochemical approaches increased our understanding of actin, myosin II, and actin-associated proteins, using membrane-based reconstituted systems has further expanded our understanding of actin structures and functions because membrane-cortex interactions can be analyzed. In this review, we highlight the recent developments in membrane-based reconstitution techniques. We examine the current findings on the minimal components needed to recapitulate distinct actin structures and functions and how they relate to the cortex's impact on cellular mechanical properties. We also explore how co-processing of computational models with wet-lab experiments enhances our understanding of these properties. Finally, we emphasize the benefits and challenges inherent to membrane-based, reconstitution assays, ranging from the advantage of precise control over the system to the difficulty of integrating these findings into the complex cellular environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke E Waechtler
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Rajan Jayasankar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Emma P Morin
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Douglas N Robinson
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kumar N, Rangel Ambriz J, Tsai K, Mim MS, Flores-Flores M, Chen W, Zartman JJ, Alber M. Balancing competing effects of tissue growth and cytoskeletal regulation during Drosophila wing disc development. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2477. [PMID: 38509115 PMCID: PMC10954670 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46698-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
How a developing organ robustly coordinates the cellular mechanics and growth to reach a final size and shape remains poorly understood. Through iterations between experiments and model simulations that include a mechanistic description of interkinetic nuclear migration, we show that the local curvature, height, and nuclear positioning of cells in the Drosophila wing imaginal disc are defined by the concurrent patterning of actomyosin contractility, cell-ECM adhesion, ECM stiffness, and interfacial membrane tension. We show that increasing cell proliferation via different growth-promoting pathways results in two distinct phenotypes. Triggering proliferation through insulin signaling increases basal curvature, but an increase in growth through Dpp signaling and Myc causes tissue flattening. These distinct phenotypic outcomes arise from differences in how each growth pathway regulates the cellular cytoskeleton, including contractility and cell-ECM adhesion. The coupled regulation of proliferation and cytoskeletal regulators is a general strategy to meet the multiple context-dependent criteria defining tissue morphogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nilay Kumar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Jennifer Rangel Ambriz
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Tsai
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Mayesha Sahir Mim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Marycruz Flores-Flores
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Weitao Chen
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
- Interdisciplinary Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Jeremiah J Zartman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
| | - Mark Alber
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Wherley TJ, Thomas S, Millay DP, Saunders T, Roy S. Molecular regulation of myocyte fusion. Curr Top Dev Biol 2024; 158:53-82. [PMID: 38670716 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2024.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Myocyte fusion is a pivotal process in the development and regeneration of skeletal muscle. Failure during fusion can lead to a range of developmental as well as pathological consequences. This review aims to comprehensively explore the intricate processes underlying myocyte fusion, from the molecular to tissue scale. We shed light on key players, such as the muscle-specific fusogens - Myomaker and Myomixer, in addition to some lesser studied molecules contributing to myocyte fusion. Conserved across vertebrates, Myomaker and Myomixer play a crucial role in driving the merger of plasma membranes of fusing myocytes, ensuring the formation of functional muscle syncytia. Our multiscale approach also delves into broader cell and tissue dynamics that orchestrate the timing and positioning of fusion events. In addition, we explore the relevance of muscle fusogens to human health and disease. Mutations in fusogen genes have been linked to congenital myopathies, providing unique insights into the molecular basis of muscle diseases. We conclude with a discussion on potential therapeutic avenues that may emerge from manipulating the myocyte fusion process to remediate skeletal muscle disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tanner J Wherley
- Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Serena Thomas
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Proteos, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Douglas P Millay
- Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
| | - Timothy Saunders
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Proteos, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Sudipto Roy
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Proteos, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Pediatrics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Chae SJ, Kim DW, Igoshin OA, Lee S, Kim JK. Beyond microtubules: The cellular environment at the endoplasmic reticulum attracts proteins to the nucleus, enabling nuclear transport. iScience 2024; 27:109235. [PMID: 38439967 PMCID: PMC10909898 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
All proteins are translated in the cytoplasm, yet many, including transcription factors, play vital roles in the nucleus. While previous research has concentrated on molecular motors for the transport of these proteins to the nucleus, recent observations reveal perinuclear accumulation even in the absence of an energy source, hinting at alternative mechanisms. Here, we propose that structural properties of the cellular environment, specifically the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), can promote molecular transport to the perinucleus without requiring additional energy expenditure. Specifically, physical interaction between proteins and the ER impedes their diffusion and leads to their accumulation near the nucleus. This result explains why larger proteins, more frequently interacting with the ER membrane, tend to accumulate at the perinucleus. Interestingly, such diffusion in a heterogeneous environment follows Chapman's law rather than the popular Fick's law. Our findings suggest a novel protein transport mechanism arising solely from characteristics of the intracellular environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seok Joo Chae
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Mathematics Group, Pioneer Research Center for Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae Wook Kim
- Department of Mathematics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Oleg A. Igoshin
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Seunggyu Lee
- Biomedical Mathematics Group, Pioneer Research Center for Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea
- Division of Applied Mathematical Sciences, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Kyoung Kim
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Biomedical Mathematics Group, Pioneer Research Center for Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon 34126, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Dong X, Su S, Sun Q, Wang P, Hu Q, Wei Q. Aligned Nanofibers Promote Myoblast Polarization and Myogenesis through Activating Rac-Related Signaling Pathways. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:1712-1721. [PMID: 38422457 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.4c00127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a crucial role in regulating cellular behaviors and functions. However, the impact of ECM topography on muscle cell adhesion and differentiation remains poorly understood from a mechanosensing perspective. In this study, we fabricated aligned and random electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers to mimic the structural characteristics of ECM. Mechanism investigations revealed that the orientation of nanofibers promoted C2C12 polarization and myogenesis through Rac-related signaling pathways. Conversely, cells cultured on random fibers exhibited spreading behavior mediated by RhoA/ROCK pathways, resulting in enhanced stress fiber formation but reduced capacity for myogenic differentiation. Our findings highlight the critical role of an ECM structure in muscle regeneration and damage repair, providing novel insights into mechanosensing mechanisms underlying muscle injury diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Dong
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China
- Department of Nephrology, Kidney Research Institute, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China
| | - Shan Su
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials and Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
| | - Qian Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials and Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
| | - Peng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials and Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
| | - Qian Hu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials and Engineering, College of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Reboucas RB, Faizi HA, Miksis MJ, Vlahovska PM. Stationary shapes of axisymmetric vesicles beyond lowest-energy configurations. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:2258-2271. [PMID: 38353299 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01463k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
We conduct a systematic exploration of the energy landscape of vesicle morphologies within the framework of the Helfrich model. Vesicle shapes are determined by minimizing the elastic energy subject to constraints of constant area and volume. The results show that pressurized vesicles can adopt higher-energy spindle-like configurations that require the action of point forces at the poles. If the internal pressure is lower than the external one, multilobed shapes are predicted. We utilize our results to rationalize experimentally observed spindle shapes of giant vesicles in a uniform AC electric field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo B Reboucas
- Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
| | - Hammad A Faizi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Michael J Miksis
- Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
| | - Petia M Vlahovska
- Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Sun ZG, Yadav V, Amiri S, Cao W, De La Cruz EM, Murrell M. Cofilin-mediated actin filament network flexibility facilitates 2D to 3D actomyosin shape change. Eur J Cell Biol 2024; 103:151379. [PMID: 38168598 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2023.151379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The organization of actin filaments (F-actin) into crosslinked networks determines the transmission of mechanical stresses within the cytoskeleton and subsequent changes in cell and tissue shape. Principally mediated by proteins such as α-actinin, F-actin crosslinking increases both network connectivity and rigidity, thereby facilitating stress transmission at low crosslinking yet attenuating transmission at high crosslinker concentration. Here, we engineer a two-dimensional model of the actomyosin cytoskeleton, in which myosin-induced mechanical stresses are controlled by light. We alter the extent of F-actin crosslinking by the introduction of oligomerized cofilin. At pH 6.5, F-actin severing by cofilin is weak, but cofilin bundles and crosslinks filaments. Given its effect of lowering the F-actin bending stiffness, cofilin- crosslinked networks are significantly more flexible and softer in bending than networks crosslinked by α-actinin. Thus, upon local activation of myosin-induced contractile stress, the network bends out-of-plane in contrast to the in-plane compression as observed with networks crosslinked by α-actinin. Here, we demonstrate that local effects on filament mechanics by cofilin introduces novel large-scale network material properties that enable the sculpting of complex shapes in the cell cytoskeleton.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Gao Sun
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Department of Physics, Yale University, 217 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Integrated Graduate Program in Physical and Engineering Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Vikrant Yadav
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Sorosh Amiri
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Wenxiang Cao
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Enrique M De La Cruz
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Michael Murrell
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Physics, Yale University, 217 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Integrated Graduate Program in Physical and Engineering Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Elhamshari A, Elkhodary K. Proposing a Caputo-Land System for active tension. Capturing variable viscoelasticity. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26143. [PMID: 38390177 PMCID: PMC10881374 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Accurate cell-level active tension modeling for cardiomyocytes is critical to understanding cardiac functionality on a subject-specific basis. However, cell-level models in the literature fail to account for viscoelasticity and inter-subject variations in active tension, which are relevant to disease diagnostics and drug screening, e.g., for cardiotoxicity. Thus, we propose a fractional order system to model cell-level active tension by extending Land's state-of-the-art model of cardiac contraction. Our approach features the (left) Caputo derivative of six state variables that identify the mechanistic origins of viscoelasticity in a myocardial cell in terms of the thin filament, thick filament, and length-dependent interactions. This proposed CLS is the first of its kind for active tension modeling in cells and demonstrates notable subject-specificity, with smaller mean square errors than the reference model relative to cell-level experiments across subjects, promising greater clinical relevance than its counterparts in the literature by highlighting the contribution of different cellular mechanisms to apparent viscoelastic cell behavior, and how it could vary with disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Afnan Elhamshari
- The Robotics, Control, and Smart Systems Program, The American University in Cairo, 11835, New Cairo, Egypt
| | - Khalil Elkhodary
- The Department of Mechanical Engineering, The American University in Cairo, 11835, New Cairo, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Xie X, Sauer F, Grosser S, Lippoldt J, Warmt E, Das A, Bi D, Fuhs T, Käs JA. Effect of non-linear strain stiffening in eDAH and unjamming. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:1996-2007. [PMID: 38323652 PMCID: PMC10900305 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00630a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
In cell clusters, the prominent factors at play encompass contractility-based enhanced tissue surface tension and cell unjamming transition. The former effect pertains to the boundary effect, while the latter constitutes a bulk effect. Both effects share outcomes of inducing significant elongation in cells. This elongation is so substantial that it surpasses the limits of linear elasticity, thereby giving rise to additional effects. To investigate these effects, we employ atomic force microscopy (AFM) to analyze how the mechanical properties of individual cells change under such considerable elongation. Our selection of cell lines includes MCF-10A, chosen for its pronounced demonstration of the extended differential adhesion hypothesis (eDAH), and MDA-MB-436, selected due to its manifestation of cell unjamming behavior. In the AFM analyses, we observe a common trend in both cases: as elongation increases, both cell lines exhibit strain stiffening. Notably, this effect is more prominent in MCF-10A compared to MDA-MB-436. Subsequently, we employ AFM on a dynamic range of 1-200 Hz to probe the mechanical characteristics of cell spheroids, focusing on both surface and bulk mechanics. Our findings align with the results from single cell investigations. Specifically, MCF-10A cells, characterized by strong contractile tissue tension, exhibit the greatest stiffness on their surface. Conversely, MDA-MB-436 cells, which experience significant elongation, showcase their highest stiffness within the bulk region. Consequently, the concept of single cell strain stiffening emerges as a crucial element in understanding the mechanics of multicellular spheroids (MCSs), even in the case of MDA-MB-436 cells, which are comparatively softer in nature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofan Xie
- Soft Matter Physics Division, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Frank Sauer
- Soft Matter Physics Division, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Steffen Grosser
- Soft Matter Physics Division, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Jürgen Lippoldt
- Soft Matter Physics Division, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Enrico Warmt
- Soft Matter Physics Division, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Amit Das
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dapeng Bi
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Thomas Fuhs
- Soft Matter Physics Division, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Josef A Käs
- Soft Matter Physics Division, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Kuo CH, Lee GH, Wu HL, Huang JY, Tang MJ. Breaking the symmetry of cell contractility drives tubulogenesis via CXCL1 polarization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315894121. [PMID: 38377213 PMCID: PMC10907267 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315894121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The intricate interplay between biomechanical and biochemical pathways in modulating morphogenesis is an interesting research topic. How biomechanical force regulates epithelial cell tubulogenesis remains poorly understood. Here, we established a model of tubulogenesis by culturing renal proximal tubular epithelial cells on a collagen gel while manipulating contractile force. Epithelial cells were dynamically self-organized into tubule-like structures by augmentation of cell protrusions and cell-cell association. Reduction and asymmetric distribution of phosphorylated myosin light chain 2, the actomyosin contractility, in cells grown on soft matrix preceded tube connection. Notably, reducing matrix stiffness via sonication of collagen fibrils and inhibiting actomyosin contractility with blebbistatin promoted tubulogenesis, whereas inhibition of cytoskeleton polymerization suppressed it. CXC chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) expression was transcriptionally upregulated in cells undergoing tubulogenesis. Additionally, inhibiting actomyosin contractility facilitated CXCL1 polarization and cell protrusions preceding tube formation. Conversely, inhibiting the CXCL1-CXC receptor 1 pathway hindered cell protrusions and tubulogenesis. Mechanical property asymmetry with cell-collagen fibril interaction patterns at cell protrusions and along the tube structure supported the association of anisotropic contraction with tube formation. Furthermore, suppressing the mechanosensing machinery of integrin subunit beta 1 reduced CXCL1 expression, collagen remodeling, and impaired tubulogenesis. In summary, symmetry breaking of cell contractility on a soft collagen gel promotes CXCL1 polarization at cell protrusions which in turn facilitates cell-cell association and thus tubule connection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Hsiang Kuo
- International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan701, Taiwan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan701, Taiwan
| | - Gang-Hui Lee
- International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan701, Taiwan
| | - Hua-Lin Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan701, Taiwan
| | - Jyun-Yuan Huang
- International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan701, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Jer Tang
- International Center for Wound Repair and Regeneration, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan701, Taiwan
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan701, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Fluks M, Collier R, Walewska A, Bruce AW, Ajduk A. How great thou ART: biomechanical properties of oocytes and embryos as indicators of quality in assisted reproductive technologies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1342905. [PMID: 38425501 PMCID: PMC10902081 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1342905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) have revolutionized infertility treatment and animal breeding, but their success largely depends on selecting high-quality oocytes for fertilization and embryos for transfer. During preimplantation development, embryos undergo complex morphogenetic processes, such as compaction and cavitation, driven by cellular forces dependent on cytoskeletal dynamics and cell-cell interactions. These processes are pivotal in dictating an embryo's capacity to implant and progress to full-term development. Hence, a comprehensive grasp of the biomechanical attributes characterizing healthy oocytes and embryos is essential for selecting those with higher developmental potential. Various noninvasive techniques have emerged as valuable tools for assessing biomechanical properties without disturbing the oocyte or embryo physiological state, including morphokinetics, analysis of cytoplasmic movement velocity, or quantification of cortical tension and elasticity using microaspiration. By shedding light on the cytoskeletal processes involved in chromosome segregation, cytokinesis, cellular trafficking, and cell adhesion, underlying oogenesis, and embryonic development, this review explores the significance of embryo biomechanics in ART and its potential implications for improving clinical IVF outcomes, offering valuable insights and research directions to enhance oocyte and embryo selection procedures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monika Fluks
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Rebecca Collier
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Agnieszka Walewska
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alexander W. Bruce
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Anna Ajduk
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Kyslík J, Born-Torrijos A, Holzer AS, Kosakyan A. RNAi-directed knockdown in the cnidarian fish blood parasite Sphaerospora molnari. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3545. [PMID: 38347054 PMCID: PMC10861503 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54171-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is an effective approach to suppress gene expression and monitor gene regulation. Despite its wide application, its use is limited in certain taxonomic groups, including cnidarians. Myxozoans are a unique group of cnidarian parasites that diverged from their free-living ancestors about 600 million years ago, with several species causing acute disease in farmed and wild fish populations. In this pioneering study we successfully applied RNAi in blood stages of the myxozoan Sphaerospora molnari, combining a dsRNA soaking approach, real-time PCR, confocal microscopy, and Western blotting. For proof of concept, we knocked down two unusual actins, one of which is known to play a critical role in S. molnari cell motility. We observed intracellular uptake of dsRNA after 30 min and accumulation in all cells of the typical myxozoan cell-in-cell structure. We successfully knocked down actin in S. molnari in vitro, with transient inhibition for 48 h. We observed the disruption of the cytoskeletal network within the primary cell and loss of the characteristic rotational cell motility. This RNAi workflow could significantly advance functional research within the Myxozoa, offering new prospects for investigating therapeutic targets and facilitating drug discovery against economically important fish parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Kyslík
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Ana Born-Torrijos
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, PO Box 59, 1790 AB, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Astrid S Holzer
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Fish Health Division, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anush Kosakyan
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Djakbarova U, Madraki Y, Chan ET, Wu T, Atreaga-Muniz V, Akatay AA, Kural C. Tension-induced adhesion mode switching: the interplay between focal adhesions and clathrin-containing adhesion complexes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.07.579324. [PMID: 38370749 PMCID: PMC10871318 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.07.579324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Integrin-based adhesion complexes are crucial in various cellular processes, including proliferation, differentiation, and motility. While the dynamics of canonical focal adhesion complexes (FAs) have been extensively studied, the regulation and physiological implications of the recently identified clathrin-containing adhesion complexes (CCACs) are still not well understood. In this study, we investigated the spatiotemporal mechanoregulations of FAs and CCACs in a breast cancer model. Employing single-molecule force spectroscopy coupled with live-cell fluorescence microscopy, we discovered that FAs and CCACs are mutually exclusive and inversely regulated complexes. This regulation is orchestrated through the modulation of plasma membrane tension, in combination with distinct modes of actomyosin contractility that can either synergize with or counteract this modulation. Our findings indicate that increased membrane tension promotes the association of CCACs at integrin αVβ5 adhesion sites, leading to decreased cancer cell proliferation, spreading, and migration. Conversely, lower membrane tension promotes the formation of FAs, which correlates with the softer membranes observed in cancer cells, thus potentially facilitating cancer progression. Our research provides novel insights into the biomechanical regulation of CCACs and FAs, revealing their critical and contrasting roles in modulating cancer cell progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Umida Djakbarova
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Yasaman Madraki
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Emily T. Chan
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Tianyao Wu
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | | | - A. Ata Akatay
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Comert Kural
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Interdisciplinary Biophysics Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Keshavanarayana P, Spill F. A mechanical modeling framework to study endothelial permeability. Biophys J 2024; 123:334-348. [PMID: 38169215 PMCID: PMC10870174 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The inner lining of blood vessels, the endothelium, is made up of endothelial cells. Vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin protein forms a bond with VE-cadherin from neighboring cells to determine the size of gaps between the cells and thereby regulate the size of particles that can cross the endothelium. Chemical cues such as thrombin, along with mechanical properties of the cell and extracellular matrix are known to affect the permeability of endothelial cells. Abnormal permeability is found in patients suffering from diseases including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and COVID-19. Even though some of the regulatory mechanisms affecting endothelial permeability are well studied, details of how several mechanical and chemical stimuli acting simultaneously affect endothelial permeability are not yet understood. In this article, we present a continuum-level mechanical modeling framework to study the highly dynamic nature of the VE-cadherin bonds. Taking inspiration from the catch-slip behavior that VE-cadherin complexes are known to exhibit, we model the VE-cadherin homophilic bond as cohesive contact with damage following a traction-separation law. We explicitly model the actin cytoskeleton and substrate to study their role in permeability. Our studies show that mechanochemical coupling is necessary to simulate the influence of the mechanical properties of the substrate on permeability. Simulations show that shear between cells is responsible for the variation in permeability between bicellular and tricellular junctions, explaining the phenotypic differences observed in experiments. An increase in the magnitude of traction force due to disturbed flow that endothelial cells experience results in increased permeability, and it is found that the effect is higher on stiffer extracellular matrix. Finally, we show that the cylindrical monolayer exhibits higher permeability than the planar monolayer under unconstrained cases. Thus, we present a contact mechanics-based mechanochemical model to investigate the variation in the permeability of endothelial monolayer due to multiple loads acting simultaneously.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabian Spill
- School of Mathematics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Kolahi Azar H, Gharibshahian M, Rostami M, Mansouri V, Sabouri L, Beheshtizadeh N, Rezaei N. The progressive trend of modeling and drug screening systems of breast cancer bone metastasis. J Biol Eng 2024; 18:14. [PMID: 38317174 PMCID: PMC10845631 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-024-00408-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Bone metastasis is considered as a considerable challenge for breast cancer patients. Various in vitro and in vivo models have been developed to examine this occurrence. In vitro models are employed to simulate the intricate tumor microenvironment, investigate the interplay between cells and their adjacent microenvironment, and evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions for tumors. The endeavor to replicate the latency period of bone metastasis in animal models has presented a challenge, primarily due to the necessity of primary tumor removal and the presence of multiple potential metastatic sites.The utilization of novel bone metastasis models, including three-dimensional (3D) models, has been proposed as a promising approach to overcome the constraints associated with conventional 2D and animal models. However, existing 3D models are limited by various factors, such as irregular cellular proliferation, autofluorescence, and changes in genetic and epigenetic expression. The imperative for the advancement of future applications of 3D models lies in their standardization and automation. The utilization of artificial intelligence exhibits the capability to predict cellular behavior through the examination of substrate materials' chemical composition, geometry, and mechanical performance. The implementation of these algorithms possesses the capability to predict the progression and proliferation of cancer. This paper reviewed the mechanisms of bone metastasis following primary breast cancer. Current models of breast cancer bone metastasis, along with their challenges, as well as the future perspectives of using these models for translational drug development, were discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hanieh Kolahi Azar
- Department of Pathology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Regenerative Medicine Group (REMED), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Maliheh Gharibshahian
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
- Regenerative Medicine Group (REMED), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Rostami
- Division of Food Safety and Hygiene, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Food Science and Nutrition Group (FSAN), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Vahid Mansouri
- Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Regenerative Medicine Group (REMED), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Sabouri
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Paramedicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
- Regenerative Medicine Group (REMED), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Nima Beheshtizadeh
- Department of Tissue Engineering, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
- Regenerative Medicine Group (REMED), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Pho M, Berrada Y, Gunda A, Lavallee A, Chiu K, Padam A, Currey ML, Stephens AD. Actin contraction controls nuclear blebbing and rupture independent of actin confinement. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar19. [PMID: 38088876 PMCID: PMC10881147 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-07-0292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The nucleus is a mechanically stable compartment of the cell that contains the genome and performs many essential functions. Nuclear mechanical components chromatin and lamins maintain nuclear shape, compartmentalization, and function by resisting antagonistic actin contraction and confinement. Studies have yet to compare chromatin and lamins perturbations side-by-side as well as modulated actin contraction while holding confinement constant. To accomplish this, we used nuclear localization signal green fluorescent protein to measure nuclear shape and rupture in live cells with chromatin and lamin perturbations. We then modulated actin contraction while maintaining actin confinement measured by nuclear height. Wild type, chromatin decompaction, and lamin B1 null present bleb-based nuclear deformations and ruptures dependent on actin contraction and independent of actin confinement. Actin contraction inhibition by Y27632 decreased nuclear blebbing and ruptures while activation by CN03 increased rupture frequency. Lamin A/C null results in overall abnormal shape also reliant on actin contraction, but similar blebs and ruptures as wild type. Increased DNA damage is caused by nuclear blebbing or abnormal shape which can be relieved by inhibition of actin contraction which rescues nuclear shape and decreases DNA damage levels in all perturbations. Thus, actin contraction drives nuclear blebbing, bleb-based ruptures, and abnormal shape independent of changes in actin confinement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mai Pho
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Yasmin Berrada
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Aachal Gunda
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Anya Lavallee
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Katherine Chiu
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Arimita Padam
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Marilena L. Currey
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Andrew D. Stephens
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Maffeis V, Heuberger L, Nikoletić A, Schoenenberger C, Palivan CG. Synthetic Cells Revisited: Artificial Cells Construction Using Polymeric Building Blocks. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305837. [PMID: 37984885 PMCID: PMC10885666 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The exponential growth of research on artificial cells and organelles underscores their potential as tools to advance the understanding of fundamental biological processes. The bottom-up construction from a variety of building blocks at the micro- and nanoscale, in combination with biomolecules is key to developing artificial cells. In this review, artificial cells are focused upon based on compartments where polymers are the main constituent of the assembly. Polymers are of particular interest due to their incredible chemical variety and the advantage of tuning the properties and functionality of their assemblies. First, the architectures of micro- and nanoscale polymer assemblies are introduced and then their usage as building blocks is elaborated upon. Different membrane-bound and membrane-less compartments and supramolecular structures and how they combine into advanced synthetic cells are presented. Then, the functional aspects are explored, addressing how artificial organelles in giant compartments mimic cellular processes. Finally, how artificial cells communicate with their surrounding and each other such as to adapt to an ever-changing environment and achieve collective behavior as a steppingstone toward artificial tissues, is taken a look at. Engineering artificial cells with highly controllable and programmable features open new avenues for the development of sophisticated multifunctional systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Maffeis
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- NCCR‐Molecular Systems EngineeringBPR 1095, Mattenstrasse 24aBaselCH‐4058Switzerland
| | - Lukas Heuberger
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
| | - Anamarija Nikoletić
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 82BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| | | | - Cornelia G. Palivan
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of BaselMattenstrasse 22BaselCH‐4002Switzerland
- NCCR‐Molecular Systems EngineeringBPR 1095, Mattenstrasse 24aBaselCH‐4058Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience InstituteUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 82BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Schmitt MS, Colen J, Sala S, Devany J, Seetharaman S, Caillier A, Gardel ML, Oakes PW, Vitelli V. Machine learning interpretable models of cell mechanics from protein images. Cell 2024; 187:481-494.e24. [PMID: 38194965 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Cellular form and function emerge from complex mechanochemical systems within the cytoplasm. Currently, no systematic strategy exists to infer large-scale physical properties of a cell from its molecular components. This is an obstacle to understanding processes such as cell adhesion and migration. Here, we develop a data-driven modeling pipeline to learn the mechanical behavior of adherent cells. We first train neural networks to predict cellular forces from images of cytoskeletal proteins. Strikingly, experimental images of a single focal adhesion (FA) protein, such as zyxin, are sufficient to predict forces and can generalize to unseen biological regimes. Using this observation, we develop two approaches-one constrained by physics and the other agnostic-to construct data-driven continuum models of cellular forces. Both reveal how cellular forces are encoded by two distinct length scales. Beyond adherent cell mechanics, our work serves as a case study for integrating neural networks into predictive models for cell biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Schmitt
- James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Kadanoff Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Jonathan Colen
- James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Kadanoff Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Stefano Sala
- Department of Cell & Molecular Physiology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - John Devany
- James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Shailaja Seetharaman
- James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Alexia Caillier
- Department of Cell & Molecular Physiology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Margaret L Gardel
- James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Patrick W Oakes
- Department of Cell & Molecular Physiology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
| | - Vincenzo Vitelli
- James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Kadanoff Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Banerjee DS, Freedman SL, Murrell MP, Banerjee S. Growth-induced collective bending and kinetic trapping of cytoskeletal filaments. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.09.574885. [PMID: 38260433 PMCID: PMC10802417 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.09.574885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Growth and turnover of actin filaments play a crucial role in the construction and maintenance of actin networks within cells. Actin filament growth occurs within limited space and finite subunit resources in the actin cortex. To understand how filament growth shapes the emergent architecture of actin networks, we developed a minimal agent-based model coupling filament mechanics and growth in a limiting subunit pool. We find that rapid filament growth induces kinetic trapping of highly bent actin filaments. Such collective bending patterns are long-lived, organized around nematic defects, and arises from competition between filament polymerization and bending elasticity. The stability of nematic defects and the extent of kinetic trapping are amplified by an increase in the abundance of the actin pool and by crosslinking the network. These findings suggest that kinetic trapping is a robust consequence of growth in crowded environments, providing a route to program shape memory in actin networks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deb Sankar Banerjee
- Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | | | - Michael P Murrell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, 10 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, 850 West Campus Drive, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Physics, Yale University, 217 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shiladitya Banerjee
- Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Najma B, Wei WS, Baskaran A, Foster PJ, Duclos G. Microscopic interactions control a structural transition in active mixtures of microtubules and molecular motors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2300174121. [PMID: 38175870 PMCID: PMC10786313 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2300174121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Microtubules and molecular motors are essential components of the cellular cytoskeleton, driving fundamental processes in vivo, including chromosome segregation and cargo transport. When reconstituted in vitro, these cytoskeletal proteins serve as energy-consuming building blocks to study the self-organization of active matter. Cytoskeletal active gels display rich emergent dynamics, including extensile flows, locally contractile asters, and bulk contraction. However, it is unclear how the protein-protein interaction kinetics set their contractile or extensile nature. Here, we explore the origin of the transition from extensile bundles to contractile asters in a minimal reconstituted system composed of stabilized microtubules, depletant, adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), and clusters of kinesin-1 motors. We show that the microtubule-binding and unbinding kinetics of highly processive motor clusters set their ability to end-accumulate, which can drive polarity sorting of the microtubules and aster formation. We further demonstrate that the microscopic time scale of end-accumulation sets the emergent time scale of aster formation. Finally, we show that biochemical regulation is insufficient to fully explain the transition as generic aligning interactions through depletion, cross-linking, or excluded volume interactions can drive bundle formation despite end-accumulating motors. The extensile-to-contractile transition is well captured by a simple self-assembly model where nematic and polar aligning interactions compete to form either bundles or asters. Starting from a five-dimensional organization phase space, we identify a single control parameter given by the ratio of the different component concentrations that dictates the material-scale organization. Overall, this work shows that the interplay of biochemical and mechanical tuning at the microscopic level controls the robust self-organization of active cytoskeletal materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bibi Najma
- Department of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA02453
| | - Wei-Shao Wei
- Department of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA02453
| | - Aparna Baskaran
- Department of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA02453
| | - Peter J. Foster
- Department of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA02453
| | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Amiri S, Muresan C, Shang X, Huet-Calderwood C, Schwartz MA, Calderwood DA, Murrell M. Intracellular tension sensor reveals mechanical anisotropy of the actin cytoskeleton. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8011. [PMID: 38049429 PMCID: PMC10695988 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43612-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The filamentous actin (F-actin) cytoskeleton is a composite material consisting of cortical actin and bundled F-actin stress fibers, which together mediate the mechanical behaviors of the cell, from cell division to cell migration. However, as mechanical forces are typically measured upon transmission to the extracellular matrix, the internal distribution of forces within the cytoskeleton is unknown. Likewise, how distinct F-actin architectures contribute to the generation and transmission of mechanical forces is unclear. Therefore, we have developed a molecular tension sensor that embeds into the F-actin cytoskeleton. Using this sensor, we measure tension within stress fibers and cortical actin, as the cell is subject to uniaxial stretch. We find that the mechanical response, as measured by FRET, depends on the direction of applied stretch relative to the cell's axis of alignment. When the cell is aligned parallel to the direction of the stretch, stress fibers and cortical actin both accumulate tension. By contrast, when aligned perpendicular to the direction of stretch, stress fibers relax tension while the cortex accumulates tension, indicating mechanical anisotropy within the cytoskeleton. We further show that myosin inhibition regulates this anisotropy. Thus, the mechanical anisotropy of the cell and the coordination between distinct F-actin architectures vary and depend upon applied load.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sorosh Amiri
- Systems Biology Institute, 850 West Campus Drive, Yale University, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science, 17 Hillhouse Ave, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Camelia Muresan
- Systems Biology Institute, 850 West Campus Drive, Yale University, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, 17 Hillhouse Ave, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Xingbo Shang
- Systems Biology Institute, 850 West Campus Drive, Yale University, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, 17 Hillhouse Ave, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | | | - Martin A Schwartz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, 17 Hillhouse Ave, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, 333 Cedar St, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, 300 George St, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - David A Calderwood
- Department of Pharmacology, 333 Cedar St, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, 333 Cedar St, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Michael Murrell
- Systems Biology Institute, 850 West Campus Drive, Yale University, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, 17 Hillhouse Ave, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
- Department of Physics, 217 Prospect Street, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Weidle UH, Birzele F. Circular RNA in Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma: Identification of Targets and New Treatment Modalities. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2023; 20:646-668. [PMID: 38035705 PMCID: PMC10687737 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite availability of several treatment options for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, the survival rate of patients for five years is in the range of 22%. Therefore, identification of new targets and treatment modalities for this disease is an important issue. In this context, we screened the PubMed database for up-regulated circular RNAs (circRNAs) which promote growth of NSCLC in preclinical models in vitro as well as in vivo xenograft models in immuno-compromised mice. This approach led to potential targets for further validation and inhibition with small molecules or antibody-derived entities. In case of preclinical validation, the corresponding circRNAs can be inhibited with small interfering RNAs (siRNA) or short hairpin RNAs (shRNA). The identified circRNAs act by sponging microRNAs (miRs) preventing cleavage of the mRNA of the corresponding targets. We identified nine circRNAs up-regulating transmembrane receptors, five circRNAs increasing expression of secreted proteins, nine circRNAs promoting expression of components of signaling pathways, six circRNAs involved in regulation of splicing and RNA processing, six circRNAs up-regulating actin-related and RNA processing components, seven circRNAs increasing the steady-state levels of transcription factors, two circRNAs increasing high-mobility group proteins, four circRNAs increasing components of the epigenetic modification system and three circRNAs up-regulating protein components of additional systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich H Weidle
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany;
| | - Fabian Birzele
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Reboucas RB, Miksis MJ, Vlahovska PM. Stationary shapes of axisymmetric vesicles beyond lowest-energy configurations. ARXIV 2023:arXiv:2311.14193v1. [PMID: 38045475 PMCID: PMC10690299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
We conduct a systematic exploration of the energy landscape of vesicle morphologies within the framework of the Helfrich model. Vesicle shapes are determined by minimizing the elastic energy subject to constraints of constant area and volume. The results show that pressurized vesicles can adopt higher-energy spindle-like configurations that require the action of point forces at the poles. If the internal pressure is lower than the external one, multilobed shapes are predicted. We utilize our results to rationalize the experimentally observed spindle shapes of giant vesicles in a uniform AC field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael J. Miksis
- Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Petia M. Vlahovska
- Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Ermanoska B, Rodal AA. Non-muscle myosin II regulates presynaptic actin assemblies and neuronal mechanobiology. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.10.566609. [PMID: 38014140 PMCID: PMC10680633 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.10.566609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are evolutionarily ancient, specialized contacts between neurons and muscles. Axons and NMJs must endure mechanical strain through a lifetime of muscle contraction, making them vulnerable to aging and neurodegenerative conditions. However, cellular strategies for mitigating this mechanical stress remain unknown. In this study, we used Drosophila larval NMJs to investigate the role of actin and myosin (actomyosin)-mediated contractility in generating and responding to cellular forces at the neuron-muscle interface. We identified a new long-lived, low-turnover presynaptic actin core traversing the NMJ, which partly co-localizes with non-muscle myosin II (NMII). Neuronal RNAi of NMII induced disorganization of this core, suggesting that this structure might have contractile properties. Interestingly, neuronal RNAi of NMII also decreased NMII levels in the postsynaptic muscle proximal to neurons, suggesting that neuronal actomyosin rearrangements propagate their effects trans-synaptically. We also observed reduced Integrin levels upon NMII knockdown, indicating that neuronal actomyosin disruption triggers rearrangements of Integrin-mediated connections between neurons and surrounding muscle tissue. In summary, our study identifies a previously uncharacterized presynaptic actomyosin subpopulation that upholds the neuronal mechanical continuum, transmits signals to adjacent muscle tissue, and collaborates with Integrin receptors to govern the mechanobiology of the neuromuscular junction.
Collapse
|
40
|
Noerr PS, Zamora Alvarado JE, Golnaraghi F, McCloskey KE, Gopinathan A, Dasbiswas K. Optimal mechanical interactions direct multicellular network formation on elastic substrates. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2301555120. [PMID: 37910554 PMCID: PMC10636364 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301555120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells self-organize into functional, ordered structures during tissue morphogenesis, a process that is evocative of colloidal self-assembly into engineered soft materials. Understanding how intercellular mechanical interactions may drive the formation of ordered and functional multicellular structures is important in developmental biology and tissue engineering. Here, by combining an agent-based model for contractile cells on elastic substrates with endothelial cell culture experiments, we show that substrate deformation-mediated mechanical interactions between cells can cluster and align them into branched networks. Motivated by the structure and function of vasculogenic networks, we predict how measures of network connectivity like percolation probability and fractal dimension as well as local morphological features including junctions, branches, and rings depend on cell contractility and density and on substrate elastic properties including stiffness and compressibility. We predict and confirm with experiments that cell network formation is substrate stiffness dependent, being optimal at intermediate stiffness. We also show the agreement between experimental data and predicted cell cluster types by mapping a combined phase diagram in cell density substrate stiffness. Overall, we show that long-range, mechanical interactions provide an optimal and general strategy for multicellular self-organization, leading to more robust and efficient realizations of space-spanning networks than through just local intercellular interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick S. Noerr
- Department of Physics, University of California, Merced, CA95343
| | - Jose E. Zamora Alvarado
- Department of Materials and Biomaterials Science and Engineering, University of California, Merced, CA95343
| | | | - Kara E. McCloskey
- Department of Materials and Biomaterials Science and Engineering, University of California, Merced, CA95343
| | - Ajay Gopinathan
- Department of Physics, University of California, Merced, CA95343
| | - Kinjal Dasbiswas
- Department of Physics, University of California, Merced, CA95343
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Tagay Y, Kheirabadi S, Ataie Z, Singh RK, Prince O, Nguyen A, Zhovmer AS, Ma X, Sheikhi A, Tsygankov D, Tabdanov ED. Dynein-Powered Cell Locomotion Guides Metastasis of Breast Cancer. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2302229. [PMID: 37726225 PMCID: PMC10625109 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202302229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
The principal cause of death in cancer patients is metastasis, which remains an unresolved problem. Conventionally, metastatic dissemination is linked to actomyosin-driven cell locomotion. However, the locomotion of cancer cells often does not strictly line up with the measured actomyosin forces. Here, a complementary mechanism of metastatic locomotion powered by dynein-generated forces is identified. These forces arise within a non-stretchable microtubule network and drive persistent contact guidance of migrating cancer cells along the biomimetic collagen fibers. It is also shown that the dynein-powered locomotion becomes indispensable during invasive 3D migration within a tissue-like luminal network formed by spatially confining granular hydrogel scaffolds (GHS) made up of microscale hydrogel particles (microgels). These results indicate that the complementary motricity mediated by dynein is always necessary and, in certain instances, sufficient for disseminating metastatic breast cancer cells. These findings advance the fundamental understanding of cell locomotion mechanisms and expand the spectrum of clinical targets against metastasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yerbol Tagay
- Department of PharmacologyPenn State College of MedicineThe Pennsylvania State UniversityHersheyPA17033USA
| | - Sina Kheirabadi
- Department of Chemical EngineeringThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPA16802USA
| | - Zaman Ataie
- Department of Chemical EngineeringThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPA16802USA
| | - Rakesh K. Singh
- Department of Obstetrics & GynecologyGynecology OncologyUniversity of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterNY14642USA
| | - Olivia Prince
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and ResearchU.S. Food and Drug AdministrationSilver SpringMD20903USA
| | - Ashley Nguyen
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and ResearchU.S. Food and Drug AdministrationSilver SpringMD20903USA
| | - Alexander S. Zhovmer
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and ResearchU.S. Food and Drug AdministrationSilver SpringMD20903USA
| | - Xuefei Ma
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and ResearchU.S. Food and Drug AdministrationSilver SpringMD20903USA
| | - Amir Sheikhi
- Department of Chemical EngineeringThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPA16802USA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPA16802USA
| | - Denis Tsygankov
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical EngineeringGeorgia Institute of Technology and Emory UniversityAtlantaGA30332USA
| | - Erdem D. Tabdanov
- Department of PharmacologyPenn State College of MedicineThe Pennsylvania State UniversityHersheyPA17033USA
- Penn State Cancer InstitutePenn State College of MedicineThe Pennsylvania State UniversityHersheyPA17033USA
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Wang C, Ding J, Wei Q, Du S, Gong X, Chew TG. Mechanosensitive accumulation of non-muscle myosin IIB during mitosis requires its translocation activity. iScience 2023; 26:107773. [PMID: 37720093 PMCID: PMC10504539 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-muscle myosin II (NMII) is a force-generating mechanosensitive enzyme that responds to mechanical forces. NMIIs mechanoaccumulate at the cell cortex in response to mechanical forces. It is essential for cells to mechanically adapt to the physical environment, failure of which results in mitotic defects when dividing in confined environment. Much less is known about how NMII mechanoaccumulation is regulated during mitosis. We show that mitotic cells respond to compressive stress by promoting accumulation of active RhoA at the cell cortex as in interphase cells. RhoA mechanoresponse during mitosis activates and stabilizes NMIIB via ROCK signaling, leading to NMIIB mechanoaccumulation at the cell cortex. Using disease-related myosin II mutations, we found that NMIIB mechanoaccumulation requires its motor activity that translocates actin filaments, but not just its actin-binding function. Thus, the motor activity coordinates structural movement and nucleotide state changes to fine-tune actin-binding affinity optimal for NMIIs to generate and respond to forces.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- The Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining 314400, China
| | - Jingjing Ding
- Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- The Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining 314400, China
| | - Qiaodong Wei
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Shoukang Du
- Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- The Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining 314400, China
| | - Xiaobo Gong
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ting Gang Chew
- Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- The Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining 314400, China
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Bernabé-Rubio M, Ali S, Bhosale PG, Goss G, Mobasseri SA, Tapia-Rojo R, Zhu T, Hiratsuka T, Battilocchi M, Tomás IM, Ganier C, Garcia-Manyes S, Watt FM. Myc-dependent dedifferentiation of Gata6 + epidermal cells resembles reversal of terminal differentiation. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:1426-1438. [PMID: 37735598 PMCID: PMC10567550 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01234-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Dedifferentiation is the process by which terminally differentiated cells acquire the properties of stem cells. During mouse skin wound healing, the differentiated Gata6-lineage positive cells of the sebaceous duct are able to dedifferentiate. Here we have integrated lineage tracing and single-cell mRNA sequencing to uncover the underlying mechanism. Gata6-lineage positive and negative epidermal stem cells in wounds are transcriptionally indistinguishable. Furthermore, in contrast to reprogramming of induced pluripotent stem cells, the same genes are expressed in the epidermal dedifferentiation and differentiation trajectories, indicating that dedifferentiation does not involve adoption of a new cell state. We demonstrate that dedifferentiation is not only induced by wounding, but also by retinoic acid treatment or mechanical expansion of the epidermis. In all three cases, dedifferentiation is dependent on the master transcription factor c-Myc. Mechanotransduction and actin-cytoskeleton remodelling are key features of dedifferentiation. Our study elucidates the molecular basis of epidermal dedifferentiation, which may be generally applicable to adult tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Bernabé-Rubio
- Centre for Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Shahnawaz Ali
- Centre for Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Priyanka G Bhosale
- Centre for Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Georgina Goss
- Centre for Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Rafael Tapia-Rojo
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King's College London, London, UK
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Tong Zhu
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King's College London, London, UK
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Toru Hiratsuka
- Centre for Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Oncogenesis and Growth Regulation, Research Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Chuoku, Japan
| | - Matteo Battilocchi
- Centre for Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Inês M Tomás
- Centre for Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Clarisse Ganier
- Centre for Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sergi Garcia-Manyes
- Department of Physics, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Centre for the Physical Science of Life and London Centre for Nanotechnology, King's College London, London, UK
- Single Molecule Mechanobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Fiona M Watt
- Centre for Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
- Directors' Unit, EMBL Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Maji A, Dasbiswas K, Rabin Y. Shape transitions in a network model of active elastic shells. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:7216-7226. [PMID: 37724013 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01041d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Morphogenesis involves the transformation of initially simple shapes, such as multicellular spheroids, into more complex 3D shapes. These shape changes are governed by mechanical forces including molecular motor-generated forces as well as hydrostatic fluid pressure, both of which are actively regulated in living matter through mechano-chemical feedback. Inspired by autonomous, biophysical shape change, such as occurring in the model organism hydra, we introduce a minimal, active, elastic model featuring a network of springs in a globe-like spherical shell geometry. In this model there is coupling between activity and the shape of the shell: if the local curvature of a filament represented by a spring falls below a critical value, its elastic constant is actively changed. This results in deformation of the springs that changes the shape of the shell. By combining excitation of springs and pressure regulation, we show that the shell undergoes a transition from spheroidal to either elongated ellipsoidal or a different spheroidal shape, depending on pressure. There exists a critical pressure at which there is an abrupt change from ellipsoids to spheroids, showing that pressure is potentially a sensitive switch for material shape. We thus offer biologically inspired design principles for autonomous shape transitions in active elastic shells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ajoy Maji
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000 Haifa, Israel
| | - Kinjal Dasbiswas
- Department of Physics, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Yitzhak Rabin
- Department of Physics, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Colin A, Orhant-Prioux M, Guérin C, Savinov M, Cao W, Vianay B, Scarfone I, Roux A, De La Cruz EM, Mogilner A, Théry M, Blanchoin L. Friction patterns guide actin network contraction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2300416120. [PMID: 37725653 PMCID: PMC10523593 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2300416120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The shape of cells is the outcome of the balance of inner forces produced by the actomyosin network and the resistive forces produced by cell adhesion to their environment. The specific contributions of contractile, anchoring and friction forces to network deformation rate and orientation are difficult to disentangle in living cells where they influence each other. Here, we reconstituted contractile actomyosin networks in vitro to study specifically the role of the friction forces between the network and its anchoring substrate. To modulate the magnitude and spatial distribution of friction forces, we used glass or lipids surface micropatterning to control the initial shape of the network. We adapted the concentration of Nucleating Promoting Factor on each surface to induce the assembly of actin networks of similar densities and compare the deformation of the network toward the centroid of the pattern shape upon myosin-induced contraction. We found that actin network deformation was faster and more coordinated on lipid bilayers than on glass, showing the resistance of friction to network contraction. To further study the role of the spatial distribution of these friction forces, we designed heterogeneous micropatterns made of glass and lipids. The deformation upon contraction was no longer symmetric but biased toward the region of higher friction. Furthermore, we showed that the pattern of friction could robustly drive network contraction and dominate the contribution of asymmetric distributions of myosins. Therefore, we demonstrate that during contraction, both the active and resistive forces are essential to direct the actin network deformation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Colin
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, UMR5168, Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble, CytoMorpho Lab, Grenoble38054, France
| | - Magali Orhant-Prioux
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, UMR5168, Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble, CytoMorpho Lab, Grenoble38054, France
| | - Christophe Guérin
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, UMR5168, Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble, CytoMorpho Lab, Grenoble38054, France
| | - Mariya Savinov
- Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, NY10012
| | - Wenxiang Cao
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT06520-8114
| | - Benoit Vianay
- University of Paris, INSERM, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, UMRS1160, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis, CytoMorpho Lab, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris75010, France
| | - Ilaria Scarfone
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, UMR5168, Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble, CytoMorpho Lab, Grenoble38054, France
| | - Aurélien Roux
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Geneva, CH-1211Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Enrique M. De La Cruz
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT06520-8114
| | - Alex Mogilner
- Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, NY10012
| | - Manuel Théry
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, UMR5168, Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble, CytoMorpho Lab, Grenoble38054, France
- University of Paris, INSERM, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, UMRS1160, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis, CytoMorpho Lab, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris75010, France
| | - Laurent Blanchoin
- Université Grenoble-Alpes, CEA, CNRS, UMR5168, Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble, CytoMorpho Lab, Grenoble38054, France
- University of Paris, INSERM, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, UMRS1160, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis, CytoMorpho Lab, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris75010, France
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Mostert D, Grolleman J, van Turnhout MC, Groenen BGW, Conte V, Sahlgren CM, Kurniawan NA, Bouten CVC. SFAlab: image-based quantification of mechano-active ventral actin stress fibers in adherent cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1267822. [PMID: 37779894 PMCID: PMC10540851 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1267822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ventral actin stress fibers (SFs) are a subset of actin SFs that begin and terminate at focal adhesion (FA) complexes. Ventral SFs can transmit forces from and to the extracellular matrix and serve as a prominent mechanosensing and mechanotransduction machinery for cells. Therefore, quantitative analysis of ventral SFs can lead to deeper understanding of the dynamic mechanical interplay between cells and their extracellular matrix (mechanoreciprocity). However, the dynamic nature and organization of ventral SFs challenge their quantification, and current quantification tools mainly focus on all SFs present in cells and cannot discriminate between subsets. Here we present an image analysis-based computational toolbox, called SFAlab, to quantify the number of ventral SFs and the number of ventral SFs per FA, and provide spatial information about the locations of the identified ventral SFs. SFAlab is built as an all-in-one toolbox that besides analyzing ventral SFs also enables the identification and quantification of (the shape descriptors of) nuclei, cells, and FAs. We validated SFAlab for the quantification of ventral SFs in human fetal cardiac fibroblasts and demonstrated that SFAlab analysis i) yields accurate ventral SF detection in the presence of image imperfections often found in typical fluorescence microscopy images, and ii) is robust against user subjectivity and potential experimental artifacts. To demonstrate the usefulness of SFAlab in mechanobiology research, we modulated actin polymerization and showed that inhibition of Rho kinase led to a significant decrease in ventral SF formation and the number of ventral SFs per FA, shedding light on the importance of the RhoA pathway specifically in ventral SF formation. We present SFAlab as a powerful open source, easy to use image-based analytical tool to increase our understanding of mechanoreciprocity in adherent cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dylan Mostert
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Janine Grolleman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Mark C. van Turnhout
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Bart G. W. Groenen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Vito Conte
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Cecilia M. Sahlgren
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Nicholas A. Kurniawan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Carlijn V. C. Bouten
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory for Cell and Tissue Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Saldanha R, Tri Ho Thanh M, Krishnan N, Hehnly H, Patteson AE. Vimentin supports cell polarization by enhancing centrosome function and microtubule acetylation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.17.528977. [PMID: 36824848 PMCID: PMC9949120 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.17.528977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Cell polarity is important for controlling cell shape, motility, and cell division processes. Vimentin intermediate filaments are necessary for proper polarization of migrating fibroblasts and assembly of vimentin and microtubule networks is dynamically coordinated, but the precise details of how vimentin mediates cell polarity remain unclear. Here, we characterize the effects of vimentin on the structure and function of the centrosome and the stability of microtubule filaments in wild-type and vimentin-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (mEFs). We find that vimentin mediates the structure of the pericentrosomal material, promotes centrosome-mediated microtubule regrowth, and increases the level of stable acetylated microtubules in the cell. Loss of vimentin also impairs centrosome repositioning during cell polarization and migration processes that occur during wound closure. Our results suggest that vimentin modulates centrosome structure and function as well as microtubule network stability, which has important implications for how cells establish proper cell polarization and persistent migration.
Collapse
|
48
|
Cisterna BA, Skruber K, Jane ML, Camesi CI, Nguyen ID, Warp PV, Black JB, Butler MT, Bear JE, Tracy-Ann R, Vitriol EA. Cytoskeletal adaptation following long-term dysregulation of actomyosin in neuronal processes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.25.554891. [PMID: 37662186 PMCID: PMC10473725 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.25.554891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Microtubules, intermediate filaments, and actin are cytoskeletal polymer networks found within the cell. While each has unique functions, all the cytoskeletal elements must work together for cellular mechanics to be fully operative. This is achieved through crosstalk mechanisms whereby the different networks influence each other through signaling pathways and direct interactions. Because crosstalk can be complex, it is possible for perturbations in one cytoskeletal element to affect the others in ways that are difficult to predict. Here we investigated how long-term changes to the actin cytoskeleton affect microtubules and intermediate filaments. Reducing F-actin or actomyosin contractility increased acetylated microtubules and intermediate filament expression, with the effect being significantly more pronounced in neuronal processes. Changes to microtubules were completely reversible if F-actin and myosin activity is restored. Moreover, the altered microtubules in neuronal processes resulting from F-actin depletion caused significant changes to microtubule-based transport, mimicking phenotypes that are linked to neurodegenerative disease. Thus, defects in actin dynamics cause a compensatory response in other cytoskeleton components which profoundly alters cellular function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno A. Cisterna
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Kristen Skruber
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Makenzie L. Jane
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Caleb I. Camesi
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Ivan D. Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Peyton V. Warp
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Joseph B. Black
- Division of Urologic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mitchell T. Butler
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - James E. Bear
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Read Tracy-Ann
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Eric A. Vitriol
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Häring M, Wolf F, Großhans J, Kong D. Morphogenesis: Unstable rods and how genetics tames them. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R873-R875. [PMID: 37607486 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Rods under mechanical stress are a classic example of dynamic instability. Axis elongation in Drosophila usually leads to a U-shaped axis, but folded or twisted axes are observed in certain mutants. Analysis of these mutants now reveals the source of the instability and the mechanism for maintaining left-right symmetry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Häring
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Fred Wolf
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany; Institute for the Dynamics of Complex Systems, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Großhans
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Department of Biology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Deqing Kong
- Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Department of Biology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Li Y, Zhong Z, Xu C, Wu X, Li J, Tao W, Wang J, Du Y, Zhang S. 3D micropattern force triggers YAP nuclear entry by transport across nuclear pores and modulates stem cells paracrine. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad165. [PMID: 37457331 PMCID: PMC10347367 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Biophysical cues of the cellular microenvironment tremendously influence cell behavior by mechanotransduction. However, it is still unclear how cells sense and transduce the mechanical signals from 3D geometry to regulate cell function. Here, the mechanotransduction of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) triggered by 3D micropatterns and its effect on the paracrine of MSCs are systematically investigated. Our findings show that 3D micropattern force could influence the spatial reorganization of the cytoskeleton, leading to different local forces which mediate nucleus alteration such as orientation, morphology, expression of Lamin A/C and chromatin condensation. Specifically, in the triangular prism and cuboid micropatterns, the ordered F-actin fibers are distributed over and fully transmit compressive forces to the nucleus, which results in nuclear flattening and stretching of nuclear pores, thus enhancing the nuclear import of YES-associated protein (YAP). Furthermore, the activation of YAP significantly enhances the paracrine of MSCs and upregulates the secretion of angiogenic growth factors. In contrast, the fewer compressive forces on the nucleus in cylinder and cube micropatterns cause less YAP entering the nucleus. The skin repair experiment provides the first in vivo evidence that enhanced MSCs paracrine by 3D geometry significantly promotes tissue regeneration. The current study contributes to understanding the in-depth mechanisms of mechanical signals affecting cell function and provides inspiration for innovative design of biomaterials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cunjing Xu
- Advanced Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
| | - Xiaodan Wu
- Advanced Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
| | - Jiaqi Li
- Advanced Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
| | - Weiyong Tao
- Advanced Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
| | - Jianglin Wang
- Advanced Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430074, China
| | | | | |
Collapse
|